The Concealed Carry Purse, people either love them or they hate them. To carry your firearm in a concealed carry purse is your decision to make and there is no right or wrong answer. What there is though, is what is recommended. You are an intelligent woman who can consider all of the information, the risks and the pro's and con's and make an intelligent decision for yourself if a concealed carry purse is right for you. Why do so many fiercely counsel against this popular mode of carry? Likely for two reasons. One, there is serious risk anytime our guns are not on our bodies and two, it limits our ability to respond as quickly as possible and those seconds could count! These are very real issues that must be considered and consciously accepted by you when making the decision to holster your gun in a concealed carry purse. I trust you will do this.

The Truth About The Concealed Carry Purse

What do I think about concealed carry purses? First, I must tell you that I believe my role is to provide information and resources and let you make your own decisions. My opinion is just that, my opinion and really only matters to me in making the decision for myself. What do I know? I know that awareness and practice are key. Do I carry in a concealed carry purse? Yes, sometimes I do. Why? Because there are times that if I didn't, I wouldn't have my gun with me, and that is not an option for me. (As long as it is legal)

I know myself - I know my capabilities - and I practice.

Having your gun holstered somewhere ON your middle is BEST. It is close, it is safe and it easy to get to. You really can't argue with that. On The Body is the safest and best way to carry your gun, Period! Can you carry safely in a concealed carry purse, yes you can. The proper purse, meticulous awareness, and practice drawing/shooting from one is the key.

Something not often discussed is that if you don't have the time to draw your firearm from the purse, you may have to shoot through it. In this situation, a semi-automatic firearm may not have the room inside the purse to fully cycle itself and load the next round and it can jam. This is an important consideration - IF you are carrying with a round in the chamber - that would mean you may only have 1 shot. If you are not - than you have none. Whereas a revolver would not have this issue. So this is something important to think about.

Making The Decision To Use A Concealed Carry Purse

When choosing to carry in a concealed carry purse, here are some questions you might ask yourself in making this decision:

Am I forgetful?

Have I left my purse behind in the last 6 months, in the restroom, a restaurant or store?

Am I around small children regularly who might have access to my purse?

Can I keep it on me and store it properly when it must be off my body?

Will I vow to always have my gun in a holster in a designated compartment of the purse?

Am I disciplined enough to practice the awkward draw and use of my gun from the concealed carry purse? (yes, you may very likely need to shoot through the purse to not lose the precious seconds)

These are just a handful of important questions to ask yourself. It is your decision, one that it is important you make honestly and thoughtfully. If you can't answer these questions with confidence, than even if you think this is the best option for you because of the convenience, it likely is not a good choice for you.

The Well Armed Woman does offer a selection of what I think are the best constructed concealed carry purses available. (See video at bottom of this article) It is an option that many women choose, (including myself at times) and I know many women always will use them. Is it my first choice or recommendation? no, but one I believe should not be ignored and one that demands truthful information and proper training.

Practice With Your Concealed Carry Purse

Learning to draw or fire your gun from your concealed carry purse can only be learned through practice. There is no avoiding it and if you neglect this piece of your decision to carry a concealed carry purse, you are being irresponsible. As with any holster, your ability to remove the gun safely and get into a strong firing position is critical. You are giving up potentially precious time choosing to carry in your purse, as the time it takes to locate it, free it and draw it is naturally longer than if you had the gun holstered on your hip. Spend some time with your UNLOADED GUN moving and drawing your gun following the Rules Gun Safety and those of Dry Fire Practice. You will be surprised how awkward it is and when you add in anxiety, fear and stress, it only gets worse. Carry your concealed carry purse the same way all the time, with the zippers and/or compartment in the same location and practice this way. Train yourself to always pick it up and put it in the same position on your shoulder.

You also will want to attach the holster (typically with Velcro) in the same position in the compartment all the time. You want it in the right position and angle for you to easily grasp the grip once you open the compartment.

Practicing The Draw From A Concealed Carry Purse

When we are under great stress, we are not thinking about our training tips, we default to what we have practiced and what has become habit. The more systematic your motions in training the better your body will be at just naturally following the same motions. Unzip or open the holster compartment the same way every time. Turn the purse to safely point the gun in the right direction - the muzzle of the gun should never be covering your body. Turn slightly and point the muzzle corner of the purse away from you and in a safe direction. Grasp the grip of the gun with your strong hand, keeping your trigger finger straight along the side of the gun and not in the trigger guard, and pull firmly to remove it from the holster while simultaneously pulling the purse away from the gun with your weak hand. This will clear the gun and allow you to get into firing position.

Here is a video demonstrating this motion.

You will want to practice both safely removing the gun from its holster, following the Four Rules of Gun Safety , and bringing it to firing position. You may also want to practice if you were to have to shoot through the purse.The gun has to be removed enough from the holster to not only get a good firing grip on the gun, but to free the trigger guard so you can fire if necessary. Because you are not aiming the gun as you normally would - learning how to point and shoot is recommended. Point and shoot is the act of simply raising the gun in the direction of your target and using your instinctive pointing ability to aim. Time is not taken to sight the target with the sights on your gun. This of course takes practice.

Depending on where you do your live-fire practice and what the policies are at the range, (many ranges unfortunately do not allow drawing from a holster or purse in this instance) it is ideal if you can practice with your purse during live-fire practice. If possible, you can even buy a cheap purse that is similar in style to your concealed carry purse and actually practice shooting through the bag. IMPORTANT: make sure the bag is empty and that there is nothing that could cause a ricochet or splinter and do harm to anyone or anything. This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to use a concealed carry purse that has a specific compartment that is only to hold the gun and nothing else. If you use your regular purse and the "Who Knows Whats" that are in your purse either get caught in the trigger guard area or are in the line of fire, it could hinder your aim are cause you or others injury.

I know you are reading this article because you take the responsibility of carrying your gun very seriously and that because of this, you will invest the time necessary to practice the use of a concealed carry purse as well.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for information purposes only and is provided solely as a guide to assist you in forming your own opinions. Although the information on the website has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, it is provided on an "as is" basis without a warranty of any kind. None of the information is legal advice or the opinion of any professional or expert. This website is not a substitute for formal, qualified instruction in the handling, use or storage of firearms. You alone are completely responsible for your use of a firearm.

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